Various locations in L.A.

The term CicLAvia stems from a similar Spanish word for “bike way,” and in L.A. it’s become a shorthand for the temporary, festival-like closing of L.A.’s streets. The event (inspired by the first Ciclovías in Bogotá, Colombia) welcomes bikes, tricycles, skateboards, strollers and basically anything else without an engine to ride a rotating cast of car-free routes. You’ll inevitably always find a route each year around Downtown, but past events have taken it anywhere from the harbor to the San Gabriel Valley. Expect music, street performances and food trucks, as well as general whimsy and shenanigans along the way. Shop owners and restaurants along the CicLAvia route also tend to host specials. It goes without saying that you should bike or take the Metro to your desired spot along the route.

Support women-owned restaurants and dine at some of L.A.’s best spots during the return of this annual food fest during Women’s History Month. Regarding Her's festival will offer themed menu specials, convos and collabs from women restaurateurs all month long. Highlights from this year include a women-owned residency Sundays at the Hollywood Farmers’ Market, the annual Regarding Her Chef Dinner, featuring female chefs from Rossoblu, Anajak Thai, Botanica, Heritage, Osteria Mozza and Redbird (March 11) and a tamale-making class from James Beard Award winners hosted at Casa Vega (March 23). Check the website for the full lineup.

The desert-spanning biennial is back, with premieres of site-specific works from about a dozen artists. For its fifth iteration, Desert X will once again stage outdoor installations across about 40 miles of the Coachella Valley from March 8 to May 11, 2025.

Pasadena’s underrated collection of museums and performance spaces open up their doors for free at this biannual arts and culture open house. Take advantage of the free shuttle buses to travel between local institutions such as the Gamble House, USC Pacific Asia Museum, Kidspace Children’s Museum and more, many of which will be offering special programming and performances. And, of course, no arts fest would be complete without food trucks, which often include pop-ups from local bricks-and-mortar.

Framework, the independent purveyors of underground music events—and our pick for best nightlife experience in 2024—are back with another epic show. Known for producing events in iconic L.A. spots, they’re taking over Hollywood Boulevard for the second time—shutting down the space between Vine Street and Cahuenga Boulevard for a massive block party. London-based tech-house DJ and producer Michael Bibi, who last partnered with Framework at their debut Quasar stage at Coachella last year, will headline, with BLOND:ISH opening. A portion of proceeds will benefit the LAFD Foundation Fund, adding to Framework’s already-sizable post-wildfire contributions.

Got a list of L.A. museums you haven’t visited yet? Clear your calendar for Museums Free-for-All, when museums all over the region throw open the doors for free admission. Over 30 museums will drop their admission fees on Sunday, March 16. It’s the perfect opportunity to knock a couple of cultural to-dos off your list, like the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, LACMA, the Autry, Grammy Museum, the La Brea Tar Pits, Craft Contemporary, the Skirball and more. You’ll still have to pay to see any exhibitions that require a special ticket and for parking, but we can’t say no to free admission. Make sure to scope out the full list of participating museums. (We’d suggest skipping any of L.A.’s always-free museums, though, as you can visit those admission-free on any other weekend.)

Shop local at this celebration of small businesses, held not in Venice but in downtown Mar Vista, along Venice Boulevard. The arts and music festival brings together over 300 local brands and artists three times a year, attracting some 100,000 shoppers. You’ll also find food, live music, art installations and games on Venice between Centinela Avenue and Inglewood Boulevard. The fest is free and pet-friendly.

This can’t-miss festival for classic-film buffs showcases four days’ worth of beloved movies—from the iconic to forgotten gems—courtesy of Turner Classic Movies. This year’s “Grand Illusions: Fantastic Worlds on Film”-themed lineup includes 2001: A Space Odyssey, Bringing Up Baby, Jaws, Superman, Suspicion, The Wiz and more. See these time-honored favorites on the big screen at a handful of Hollywood theaters—the TCL Chinese Theatre, Chinese 6 Theatres and Egyptian Theatre—the way they were meant to be seen. Check the fest’s website for a full lineup of screenings and special guest announcements.

Say goodbye to dusty thoroughfares and violent porta-potties: Splash House takes the music festival concept off of sweltering desert land and places it poolside. Movers and shakers at this multi-location getdown are shuttled between the Saguaro, the Margaritaville and the Renaissance (with after-hours programming at the Palm Springs Air Museum) to lap up big-name dance acts and DJ sets. With the added comforts of AC rooms and critically acclaimed restaurant fare just steps away from the party scenes, the experience will make you question whether to bother with more punishing locales come next year’s festival season.

Get ready: In 2028, Los Angeles will host the Summer Olympic Games. After initially vying for a bid in 2024, L.A. was awarded the ’28 Games back in 2017.